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I've set up this blog so that all my friends, relations and colleagues in the world of writing can keep up to speed with what I'm doing - from now on, I'll never have to say sorry for not keeping in touch.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

If you've read the post below this one (and if you haven't, now's your chance) you'll know that today the literary West Country was well and truly put on the map with the presentation of the very first Exeter Novel Prize.
Theceremony in the historic St Stephen's Church in central Exeter was very well attended by writers, readers and their families and friends. Our guests of honour were our local MP, the Right Hon Ben Bradshaw, and the London literary agent Broo Doherty who judged the shortlist and presented the prizes. Here are Ben, Broo and the six shortlisted authors. You can click on the photographs below to enlarge them.

Tension mounted as Broo read out her appraisals of each shortlisted novel and finally announced the winner. Since we on the CreativeWritingMatters team were as much in the dark as everyone else, we were bating our breath along with the whole room. Now I'm going to make you bate yours while I show you some photographs of what was a wonderful afternoon.

Ben Bradshaw must be one of the most popular MPs in the country and this afternoon we all understood why. Friendly, interested in what the Exeter Novel Prize is all about and totally charming, we were delighted he could come. Here he is with the CreativeWritingMatters team of (left to right) Margaret, Cathie and Sophie.

When it was time to begin the serious stuff, we asked the six shortlisted authors (details in the post below this one) to come forward. They looked somewhat apprehensive. Who would win the gorgeous crystal trophy and the cheque for £500, kindly sponsored by Exeter Writers?

Then Broo read her comments and it became clear she was hugely impressed by the standard of the entries. The authors are all very accomplished writers, said Broo and, since they are among the final six in a total entry of more than 250, they could all consider themselves winners.

But there could be only one overall winner - and we are delighted to reveal that the winner of the very first Exeter Novel Prize is Su Bristow, for her novel Sealskin. Here is Su looking shocked but also (we hope) as thrilled and as excited as us.

Many congratulations, Su - may this success mark the beginning of a wonderful career as a published novelist for you!

This afternoon, Exeter Writers also launched its third anthology featuring the work of members and the past winners of our annual short story competition. Expertly put together, typeset and produced by Exeter Writers members Julie Collings and Ruth Cohen, we are delighted to show you the result.

Our guests today all seemed to have a good time. The CreativeWritingMatters team is already looking forward to welcoming everyone to the next Exeter Novel Prize awards ceremony in 2015!

Thursday, March 20, 2014

On Saturday, the winner of the first Exeter Novel Prize will be announced at an awards ceremony in St Stephen's Church in Exeter. Cathie Hartigan, Sophie Duffy and I, who make up the CreativeWritingMatters team and who inaugurated the prize, are very excited.

A few months ago, the longlist was sent to the literary agent Broo Doherty. Broo chose a shortlist and she will be announcing the winner on Saturday afternoon. We three in the CWM team each have a favourite or two, but Broo isn't telling anyone anything until the day. So we're as much in the dark as everyone else.

The 2014 competition opens in May. So, if you're a novelist, are yet-to-be-published or are at present unagented and uncontracted, do please take a look at our website at www.creativewritingmatters.co.uk.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Thank you to everyone who posted a comment about Juliet Greenwood's new novel on my blog.

As you can see, Juliet's personal secretary Phoebe was involved in the final decision. This is how she set about making her choice:

Hmmm - all those comments look good to me, says Phoebe:

But there can be only one winner:

Juliet says:I loved all the
comments on the blog. Thank you to everyone. I found it really hard to
make a decision, so in the end I asked Phoebe to make the final
choice. Here she is, the author’s secretary, taking her job very
seriously. And the winner is – Rosemary Anne Smith!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

It's the beginning of March and this means the print version of Janet Gover's fabulous new novel Flight to Coorah Creek is about to be published any day now!

I'm really looking forward to getting my print copy, even though I already have the ebook. There's nothing quite like the lovely touchability of a gorgeously produced book, and of course Choc Lit is famous for its beautiful editions.Janet agreed to come and talk to me about Flight to Coorah Creek. So make yourself comfortable on my fat, squashy sofa, Janet, have a choc chip cookie and a latte, and let's get down to business. Ooh, is that a book for me? Thank you!

Who or what inspired
you to write Flight to Coorah Creek?

I grew up in a tiny bush town in Australia. At the time, I thought it was
lonely and remote and boring (especially as a teenager). But since then I have
seen a lot of the world, and I now realise that my childhood was a unique
experience. And quite special. These small towns are amazing communities and
they have as much of a story as the people in them. In creating Coorah Creek
(which exists only in my head and a map pinned to my office door) I am trying
to share the experience of small town Australia.

The idea to have my characters work on an air ambulance arose
from my own experience. I fell ill while in a very remote location – and the
Royal Flying Doctor Service (which is very real) was called in to medi-vac me
to hospital. In some ways, this book is my way of saying thank you to those
fabulous people.

What is this novel
about?

It’s a book about overcoming the past. About guilt and redemption.

The story centres on Jess Pearson – a pilot who was arrested
after drugs were planted on her plane. She was innocent, but still felt guilty
over the young lives destroyed by the drugs she unwittingly flew into the
country. She runs as far away as she can go – and takes a job flying an outback
air ambulance in Coorah Creek. Where she meets Adam Gilmore – a doctor who is
hiding his own secret past…

Don’t you just love a dark and damaged hero? Strong and
silent and compelling… I do and Adam is all those things…

There are also little sub-plots about the town itself and
the people in the town, who I hope will become the readers’ friends.

How did you organise
your research?

My first job was to build the town. It had to be realistic. To have a
reason to exist, and feel right. I found
a place in the outback where there was water, added a mine and started drawing
roads. I looked at Google Maps a lot to
design my town layout.

I have done many trips in small aircraft – but I’m not a
pilot. I had to find a helpful one to
tell me how to fly (or maybe not fly… )
a plane. He was terrific and any technical mistakes regarding the plane are my
fault entirely.

A doctor friend helped me with the medical bits.

As for the dynamics of the town itself – most of that didn’t
need any research - I lived it.

Who is your favourite
character in the story?

I should say Adam Gilmore, the hero. I hope my readers will feel drawn to
him – I certainly was.

But – if I am going to be totally honest, my favourite
character is Sister Luke – and elderly Catholic nun who is a dreadful
matchmaker, a bit of a busybody and the kindest soul in the world. She brings a
touch of humour into Adam’s life.

What does a typical writer's day hold
for you?

When I have a ‘writing day’ – I am at my desk in my office by 9 am. I then
spend most of the morning faffing about on the internet, checking my books’
rankings on Amazon (I have GOT to stop doing that) - which usually leads to buying a book or
two.

At lunchtime, I walk to the supermarket – I buy my meat and
fruit and veg fresh every day – the
walk clears my head and helps me focus. By the time I get back I am ready to
stop fooling around and actually start writing.

I have also been known, when close to the end of a book, to
get up early on the weekends when my husband is still in bed and write a quick
700 words before he wakes up.

What are you writing
now?

I’m working on the next book in the Coorah Creek series. And I am totally
in love with the hero. You’ll meet him briefly in Flight to Coorah Creek. His
name is Dan Mitchell and he’s the park ranger at the Tyangi National Park.

He’s a former army sniper who saw service in Iraq. Like many military men, he’s had trouble
fitting back into society after his discharge. Enter Rachel Quinn – a former
model and now a wildlife photographer with her own ghosts.

The two of them must work together to save horses running
wild in the park – and, in saving the horses, they may just save themselves
too.

It’s almost finished. Usually when I have almost finished a
book, I go through a crisis of confidence and think it’s total rubbish …. But
this time… I think maybe this book is not too bad J

Everywhere! Seriously – the more I
travel the more I understand that every part of the world has its own special
beauty. But if I had to choose – favourite place is the central Australian
desert – which is harsh and beautiful, particularly in the early morning or
late evening. And my favourite city is
London – which never ceases to impress me.

Favourite way to
relax?

I love old movies and knitting – so I am at my most relaxed
curled up with the cat, watching
Humphrey Bogart or Audrey Hepburn, and knitting some really nice colourful or
textured wool. It’s best if the knitting pattern is fairly straightforward – so
I don’t have to think about the stitches.

Favourite day out?

My husband and I are both history buffs – we are never happier than when we
are scrambling around some ruined castle or Neolithic site. If it’s raining – a
museum comes a close second.

Favourite tip for
would-be novelists?

Gosh – I have learned so much about writing over the past
few years – it’s hard to pick one thing…

If I had to – I think it would be this. Writing and reading
are two sides of the same coin. If you don’t love reading, you won’t love
writing. Read books you love – and then try to write the sort of book you would
love to read.

Thank you so much for chatting to me, Janet. I've never been to Australia and now I'd love to go there! Maybe one day!

Margaret James The Silver Locket

Margaret James Elegy for a Queen Kindle Edition

About Me

I'm a novelist, journalist and teacher of creative writing for the London School of Journalism. I've written fifteen published novels and lots of short stories, one of which was published in the RNA's Golden Anniversary anthology, Loves Me, Loves Me Not - am very proud of that!